Reid Will Force Senate Vote on TSA Nominee

Harry Reid plans a parliamentary move of his own to break Jim DeMint's hold on the nominee to run the Transportation Security Administration. When the Senate returns the week of Jan. 19, Reid will hold a vote to end DeMint's filibuster on the nomination of Erroll Southers, reports Talking Points Memo. He'll need 60 votes to succeed.

"In light of recent incidents, TSA deserves to have its leadership in place," said a Reid spokesman. "It is long past time for Senator DeMint to stop trying to score cheap political points." DeMint, who's blocking the nominee over concerns he'll allow collective bargaining, says Reid "completely ignored this nominee until the recent terror attempt, and now he's trying to show concern for airport security." (More Harry Reid stories.)